Electric switch



M. N. GLICKMAN ELECTRIC SWITCH 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Snvento-r Mannes ''fmanMay 20, l1952 Filed Aug. 31, 1948 May 20, 1952 M. N. GLICKMAN ELECTRICSWITCH 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 5l, 1948 Patented May 20, 1952ELECTRIC SWITCH Mannes N. Glickman, Nutley, N. J.

Application August 31, 1948, Serial No. 47,050

7 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches of the liquid contact,mercury type.

Liquid contact -circuit closers for controlling the flow of current havebeen constructed of a pair of electrically conducting, dished metalmembers electrically insulated from each other and hermet ically sealedtogether by means of a peripheral bead of glass, andcontaining therein apool of mercury. Additionally, a perforated carrier disc of ceramicmaterial has been included as an-element of such switches to permit thepool of mercury to electrically interconnect the dished members, in oneposition of the circuit closer and to split the pool of mercury toelectrically disconnect the dished members in another position of thecircuit closer. In making switches of this type, it has been necessaryto carefullyv select the metal from which the dished members are to beformed in terms of its conductivity, adherence to vitreous materials,coelcient of expansion and reaction to mercury and gases. Also, theceramic for the barrier disc as Well as the glass for sealing the dishedmembers, must be particularly selected so that the various diversecomponent parts of the circuit closer may be hermetically sealedvtogether.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a liquidcontact switch body which is of a substantially all vitreousconstruction and includes a pair of juxtaposed, dished members which maybe readily fused at their opposed contacting portions to form ahermetically sealed chamber, each of said members being provided with ametallic terminal hermetically sealed therein and so disposed as toextend to said chamber, said terminals also projecting exteriorly ofsaid body whereby they may be engaged by a pair of opposed contacts,said chamber containing a pool of mercury which electricallyinterconnects the terminals in one position of the body, said pool ofmercury being separated from said terminals and electricallydisconnecting the same,in another position of the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid contact switchbody comprising a pair of juxtaposed, circular dished vitreous membershermetically sealed at their peripheral portions, forming a chamber forcontaining a small quantity of mercury, each of the dishedmembers havinga metal terminal pin sealed into the wall transversely thereof, saidpins being disposed eccentrically of the axis of the circularwalls, thebody being adapted to be mounted in a housing for rotation with saidterminals disposed below the level of the mercury in the chamber in one(Cl. 20d-152) position of the body and above the level of the mercury inanother position of the body, the terminal pins moving in an arcuatepath during the rotation of said body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid contact switchbody comprising a pair of juxtaposed circular vitreous members fusedtogether at their peripheral portions, said members being formed withsimilar recesses on their opposed faces so disposed as to form ahermetically sealed chamber disposed in eccentric relation to theaxis ofthe walls, each of the members having a metal terminal sealed into theWall transversely thereof, the terminals being disposed at the axis ofrotation of the body and being adapted to form pivot means for rotatingthe' body whereby the chamber mayvassume different angular positionsrelative to the axis of rotation when the body is rotated about itsterminals as an axis.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a switch constructioncomprising a housing and a liquid contact switch body mounted forrotation within said housing, the switch bodycomprising a pair ofjuxtaposed vitreous members sealed "to each other at opposed portionsthereof and formed to provide a hermetically sealed chamber forcontaining a small quantity of mercury, each of the members beingprovided with a metal terminal projecting exteriorly of said body, thehousing comprising a pair of opposed walls, each of the walls beingprovided with an arcuate contact strip slidably engageable by one of theterminals on said body, and means on said walls to guide the movement ofthe body and the terminals during the rotation of the body, the

contact strips including terminal connector por.

tions extending exteriorly of said housing.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a switchconstruction comprising a housing and a liquid contact switch bodyrotatably mounted within the housing, thev switch body comprising avitreous member formed with a hermetically sealed chamber interiorlythereof for containing a pool of mercury therein, a terminal on oppositesides of the member including portions projecting into the chamber, eachof the terminals being formed with similar arcuate guide means, thehousing being provided with a pair of opposed electrical conta-ctmembers, each of the contact members including a projecting pinreceivable in the guide means on the switch body whereby to guide therotational movement of the switch body within the housing when the bodyis rotated from a position wherein the terminals chamber l2.

which are interconnected by a transverse opening 33. The terminals I5 inwalls I3 are disposed slightly out of alignment with opening 33. In oneposition ofthe body 38, the mercury I'I extends on either side of thedisc 3| as well as in the opening 33 therein so as to electricallyinterconnect the terminals I5. On rotating the body 30 through apredetermined angle by means of handle I8, the opening 33 in the disc 3|will be above the level of the mercury I'I thereby dividing it into twoseparated pools and break- -ing the circuit between the terminals.

The switch bodies I and 38 may be mounted for rotation in a switchhousing 48 which comprises a pair of walled members 4I in opposedrelation. The members 4I may be formed with suitable recesses 42 toreceivev the switch body. The members 4 I are further formed on theirinner surfaces with arcuate grooves 43 for receiving the projectingterminals I on the switch body. Disposed within the grooves 43 arearcuate strips 44 of contact metal for making slidable contact with theterminals I5. The strips 44 may be formed with arcuate grooves 45 whichwill positively guide the pins I5 during their arcuate movement.Extensions 46 of the strips 44 project outwardly of the housing beingprovided with screws 41 to form terminal connectors. The handle I8 onthe body projects through an opening 48 in the housing to permitrotation of the switch body through a predetermined angle. The rotationof the switch body makes or breaks the circuit in which the switch isconnected, in the manner previously described.

The angular extent of the arcuate grooves 45 will determine the limitsof rotation of said switch body and form stops to establish on and olfpositions of the handle I8.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are shown a further modification of theinvention. The same comprises a switch body 50 and includes dishedvitreous members II which are hermetically sealed together to form achamber I2 for containing mercury, as previously described. Each of themembers II has secured to the outer face thereof, a terminal 5I. Theterminal 5I includes a portion 52 extending through the walls of membersI I and projecting into chamber I2. Each of the terminals 5I is furtherformed on its outer face with a pair of outwardly extending curved,concentric flanges 53 interconnected at their opposite ends to form anarcuate guide way 54.

The switch body 58 may be mounted for rotational movement in a switchhousing similar to housing 4I) except as hereinafter described. Thehousing walls are formed to receive contact members 6I. The members 6Iinclude pins 62 at right angles thereto which are engageable in thearcuate guide Way 54 on terminals 5I of the switch body 53. The contactmembers 6I may be of spring metal, suitably biased toward each other toresiliently press the pins B2 against the terminals of the switch bodyand provide sliding contact therebetween. The members 6I also includeterminal screws 63 for making suitable connections with the wiring withwhich the switch is associated.

In Fig. 14 is shown a switch body 'I8 which includes a pair of dishedvitreous members II which are fused together to form a hermeticallysealed Interposed between the members II is an annular metallic memberI3 of T-shaped transverse cross-section. The member 'I3 becomes sealedbetween the fused members 'II and 6. provides an outer rim portion 14.The rim portion 'I4' may be used lto secure a handle thereto forrotating the switch body. Also the rim portion 'I4 may provide a bearingsurface for the rotatable switch body relative to the housing in whichthe switch body is mounted.

The dished vitreous bodies used in making the liquid contact switchesreferred to hereinabove, may be of glass or glassy materiaL'having asuitable fusing point. The terminals fused into the dished members aremade of suitable metals or metal alloys, well known in the art andselected in terms of the particular glass used in making the vitreousmembers, to insure the proper hermetic seal therebetween.

The switch bodies may be provided with one or more notches on peripheralportions thereof to attach handles having portions thereof removablyengaged in said notches. Since the bodies are of insulating vitreousmaterial, the notch engaging portions of the handle may be of springmetal suitably flanged to engage the notches. Such an arrangement isshown in Fig. 15 wherein the peripheral portion of switch body i8 isformed with notches 80. A handle isa. includes a spring metal portion 8iwith flanges 82 at opposite ends thereof which may be snapped intonotches 88.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States:

l. A rotatable liquid contact switch body, comprising a pair ofjuxtaposed dished vitreous members fused together at peripheralcontacting portions thereof to form a hermetically sealed chambertherebetween, a terminal mounted in each of said members with one endthereof extending into sai-:l chamber and the other end extendingexteriorly of the member, and a quantity of liquid electricallyconductive material within said chamber.

2. A switch body comprising a pair of juxtaposed dished vitreous membershaving contacting peripheral potrions fused together, said membersincluding spaced circular walls forming a hermetically sealed chamber, aterminal sealed into each of said members and extending transversely ofsaid walls, and a quantity of electrically conductive liquid material insaid chamber.

3. A liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreousmembers fused together at opposed contacting marginal portions thereof,and forming a hermetically sealed chamber therebetween, and a rim membersecured to peripheral portions of said body, said rim member including aflange disposed between portions of the opposed marginal portions ofsaid dished members.

4. A liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreousmembers fused together at opposed marginal portions thereof, and forminga hermetically sealed chamber therebetween, a terminal secured to eachof said members and including a portion extending into said chamber,said terminals being aligned relative to each other, a barrier memberdisposed within said 7 chamber and forming a pair of compartments Withinthe chamber, said barrier being formed with a transverse openinginterconnecting said compartments, said opening being oiset relative tosaid terminals, and liquid electrically conductive material within saidchamber.

5. A lrotatable switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreousdielectric members including contacting peripheral portions, saidmembers being fused together at said contacting portions to provide ahermetically sealed chamber between said members, a terminal sealed intoeach of said members and including a portion extending to said chamberand a portion extending externally of said member, said externallyextendingportions of the terminals being adapted to provide means formounting vsaid body for rotation about a transverse axis thereof, and aquantity of elecmaterial in said chamber to` a position above the levelthereof@A i 6. A switch body as in claim 5 wherein an axis extendingthrough at least one of said terminals is spaced from the rotationalaxis of said body.

7. A switch body as in claim 5, wherein an axis extending through saidterminals coincides with the vrotational axis of saidy body.

' MANNES N. GLICKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED following references are of record in the iile ofthispatent:

NITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re.21,673 Murad Dec. 24, 19401,658,620y Walker Feb. 7, 1928 1,726,426 Disteli Aug. 27, 1929 1,738,140Despard et al Dec. 3, 1929 2,101,092 Payne Dec. 7, 1937 2,127,473 SaccoAug. 16, 1938 2,142,326 Murad Jan. 3, 1939 2,231,325 Y -Douglas Feb. 1l,1941

